My Thoughts: Even though Worth the Challenge is the 3rd book in the Worth It series (a contemporary romance series about three dashingly handsome brothers and how they find love), it was my first encounter with the Worth brothers, and oh what an encounter! *dreamy sighs*

This book is Rhett Worth’s story, the youngest of the Worth brothers, the irresponsible playboy one. Or at least that’s the old reputation of his that Rhett is fighting to change by showing the world and his brothers that he has changed his ways and he is worthy of trust and responsibility. To achieve that he wants to make the project that was attributed to him (creating the first Worth perfume) a smashing success. Here’s where Gabriella, our heroine enters the scene, as she is the perfumer he wants to engage (in more than just the professional way *winks) to create the scent.

Both Gabriella and Rhett were wonderful character: Rhett was irresistible: he was smooth and charming, warm hearted and tender, but what made him adorable and had me chuckling every single time was how this suave playboy blurted out such silly and at times even insulting things to Gabriella when his intent was the exact opposite 😀 I also found it unjust how he was branded an irresponsible playboy when he took this project so seriously and how much he worried about its success. It was clear that he has matured and grown up since his womanizing younger days and his brothers and the world hasn’t noticed it yet or preferred to keep him in his neatly labeled box. So it was heartwarming to see him ease up and become an adorably playful lover with Gabriella in the bedroom. It was obvious that he became so carefree because he was feeling relaxed and happy.

And I liked Gabrielle because she was such a normal heroine we readers can relate to: she is ordinary, shy, has insecurities (but in a very normal way), and gets completely weak kneed and stunned whenever Rhett flashes her one of his dazzling smiles, so as I said a very relatable and lovable heroine.

The attraction between them and their chemistry was potent and pulsing with heat:

The way he’d looked at her, the things he’d said, how he’d touched her so gently, so reverently, as if he were afraid to push too hard for fear she might break. It was considerate of him, she could appreciate his manners, but she wanted more. She wanted passion. She wanted rough hands all over her, a crushing, bruising kiss pressed to her mouth with wet tongues and heated moans. Tearing clothes off of each other’s bodies, so overwhelmed they couldn’t make it to the bedroom. He’d take her against a wall, on the couch, on the floor, wherever they landed. And when she finally screamed her release, it was because he encouraged her every step of the way with shockingly wicked words whispered close to her ear.

And what made me melt and sigh along with Gabriella was how their passionate love affair turned into something tender and more than just sexcapades. It just made me melt how worshipping and cherishing Rhett was with Gabriella.

(And double brownie points for Karen Erickson for leaving the ending as it was and not having the forced obligatory conclusion, in my opinion it was perfect just the way it was! 🙂

The other aspect of the story that I very much enjoyed besides the romance were the tidbits Karen Erickson shared about the perfume business and more specifically to the process of creating scents. I found it all fascinating and very interesting:

“I should probably put on my swimsuit. I want to go into the ocean.”
“You like to swim?” He could break out into a cold sweat just thinking about her in a swimsuit.
“Oh, I’m not going into the ocean to swim. It’s an experiment.” When he frowned, she continued. “I want to see what the ocean water smells like on my skin when it’s wet and then when it’s dry. I’ll need your input as well.”
Rhett swallowed hard. Jesus. She really was trying to kill him. “My input?”
“Well, I’ll need you to smell my skin too.”

when he finally had the vial in his hand and sprayed the scent onto the touche, he brought the thin paper to his nose, sniffing delicately, almost afraid of what he might discover. It hit him like a punch to the gut. Heat, so much heat. Golden sand and dark night, lit torches accompanied by the low murmur of drums. A blazing bright sky tempered by a cool breeze. Plumeria blossoms and salt, the scent of her skin, the scent of his, the two of them combined, their limbs tangled in the sheets. Evocative, haunting, he could visualize as well as smell the scent.

Verdict: Worth the Challenge was my first but most certainly not the last book I’ve read about the Worth brothers. Karen Erickson has created such lovable characters who make you the reader feel as if you were among family and good friends. If you want a heartwarming yet scorching hot romance pick up Worth the Challenge I found it enchanting and can’t wait to get to know the other Worth brothers better, and I’m sure you’ll feel the same once you’ve discovered them. 😉  

I give Worth the Challenge 4.5 stars!